Dubai: With Ramadan over and as the UAE begins to pick up pace, Dubai's exhibition season is gearing up for a busy few months.
Big Five, Cityscape Global and Gitex Shopper are all scheduled to open before the end of the year, welcoming exhibitors and visitors from across the region and around the world, highlighting new trends and showcasing new projects and ideas.
Matthew Denton, vice-president of construction at Big Five, says the show is expecting 2,150 exhibitors, hinting that the region's industry is set to bounce back.
"The last few years have been tough but the show has continued its growth as exhibitors and visitors recognise the true potential of the market," Denton said.
Denton believes that the multi-million dollars' worth of projects underway — including the new Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) headquarters — and recently awarded contracts such as the $817 million (Dh3 billion) Jewel of the Creek in Dubai's Port Saeed have given hope to contractors in the region.
At the same time, the development of government projects such as the President's Housing Programme is also contributing to the industry's strength.
This year the Big Five has launched the Middle East Green Build Summit to showcase the latest green building technology and innovations. "Whereas in the past, green buildings were a luxury and an ideal, they are now mainstream. New technologies are constantly being developed to complement current practices in creating greener structures, reducing the overall impact of the built environment on human health and the natural environment," Denton said.
Focus
The exhibition's focus on environmentally-friendly products makes it an obvious place for exhibitors to display their innovations in that field. Japan-based WPC Corporation, partnered with Nahar in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, is planning to introduce a new range of composite wood, as well as other products that meet green standards, according to Abbas Vakil, the general manager of the group.
Vakil said that Big Five, in which they have been taking part since 2002, has provided them with good exposure and platforms for their products. Last year, the group was approached for a 400,000 square metre, Dh14 million project, which they expect to finalise soon.
"The Big Five is the only exhibition in the GCC which is giving such exposure for this industry," he said.
On the technology side, Gitex Shopper is also looking forward to another successful year. Last year, the exhibition hosted over 166,000 visitors and is looking to hit the same number again, according to Hemesh Chandavarkar, the industry group manager at Dubai World Trade Centre, which organises the exhibition. One hundred exhibitors are also expected, with 90 per cent of the floor space at the Airport Expo Dubai already being booked.
The exhibitors include both international brands such as Canon, Dell, HTC, and Samsung, and regional distributors and retailers like E-City, Sharaf DG and Touchmate.
Gitex Shopper is a calendar event for retailers and the public, explained Chandavarkar.
"Lots of retailers have regional offices in the Middle East," he said.
These retailers, he said, look to the purchasing power of the UAE and its $3.4 billion consumer electronics market as a way of strengthening their position.
Ninth year
This year will be Jacky's Electronics' ninth year at Gitex Shopper. COO Ashish Panjabi said the exhibition was not only an opportunity to connect with potential customers, but it also afforded recognition in the market.
"When we were first part of Gitex many years ago, we weren't considered an IT retailer," he said, adding that today 55 per cent of the store's sales are IT-related.
Jacky's has also been participating in Gitex Technology Week for more than 15 years, giving it the opportunity to showcase its B2B solutions to a variety of businesses such as banks and telecom companies.
Instead of taking demos to individual companies, Jacky's can take advantage of the presence of CEOs from many companies at Gitex. It also makes things more convenient for the CEOs as well.
"They come to Gitex and it only takes a few minutes of their time," Panjabi said.
Speaking about the market generally, Chandavarkar was upbeat.
"The outlook [for the market] looks great," he said.
Cityscape Global is also gearing up for its annual exhibition as the summer comes to an end. While Dubai's real estate market took a hit in the years following the global economic crisis — causing the number of active developers to decline — Cityscape remains positive about market conditions.
"We believe that the most challenging times are behind us," exhibition director Wouter Molman said.
"While we are likely to see some further pressure on real estate in the short term, there have certainly been stronger signs of stabilisation in Dubai's and the region's real estate market."
Last year, Cityscape hosted 181 exhibitors, with the outlook for this year's exhibition being the same, although Molman notes that with registrations still coming in it is too early to tell
International presence
Although short-term prospects for real-estate may be dim, the number of international exhibitors at Cityscape Global continues to increase, this year coming up to 50 per cent of the total, according to Molman.
"Companies from other regions around the world including Europe, Asia, USA and Latin America understand that if they want continual growth, they will have to increase their presence in fast growing regions like the Middle East," he said.
Middle East investors are also raking in profits worldwide despite the global credit crunch, backing 20 per cent of prime central London real estate transactions in the past 12 months, Molman noted.
Damac, which has been participating in Cityscape for nine years, is excited about this year's exhibit, according to Niall McLoughlin, senior vice president of the company.
"Cityscape always gives us the opportunity to showcase where we are in relation to our contracts," he said.
"It's never been a retail show."
- 2,150: exhibitors expected at Big Five
- 166,000: visitors to Gitex Shopper last year
- 90%: of space at Gitex Shopper already booked
- 50%: of Cityscape made up of international exhibitors
Three big shows
- The Big Five is a building and construction show set to be held from November 21 to 24, giving contractors and businesses the chance to land major contracts and cash in on opportunities in the industry.
- Gitex Shopper, the largest consumer IT and electronics show in the Middle East, takes place from 8 - 15 October 2011 at the Airport Expo Dubai and is organized by the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC). Major electronics brands and retailers will be offering customers special offers and discounts on some of the latest gadgets.
- Cityscape Global is a real estate exhibition being held in Dubai this year from September 27 to 29. Property developers and retailers attending will be looking at opportunities and trends in the regional market, as well as showcasing their progress over the past year.
